Advanced Optical Microscopy Techniques for the Investigation of Cell-Nanoparticle Interactions

Abstract Understanding the behavior of nanomaterials such as nanoparticles into the biological environment is of crucial importance to develop novel and improved nano-based therapies. The knowledge at the molecular level of the interactions of nanomaterials with the diseased target cells and with their biological milieu provides the potential for the rational design of the next generation of nanoparticles. In this chapter, we highlight the recent advances in the field of optical microscopy for the study of nanoparticle-cell interactions, with particular emphasis on innovative fluorescence-based techniques endowed with enhanced spatial and temporal resolution.